What’s A Song Verse For?

Song parts, or song elements, are tricky. Everyone will tell you the definition of a verse, but what does that really mean when you’re writing?

How should you be thinking about the overall structure and the role of the verse?

We’ll break down each of the song parts and try to answer that question so you have a reference toolkit when you’re writing.

Verse

Is The Worker Bee Of The Lyric

It’s role includes:

Introducing the idea

Setting up the central idea (note: is not where the central idea lives)

Developing or continuing the idea

Setting structural standards for the lyric to allow for contrast

While #4 might sound tricky, it’s pretty straight forward:

Contrast

Allows you to separate your song elements within the lyric so the listener has a clear signal that something has changed.

For example, having a 4 line verse with long phrases, and a 6 line chorus with short phrases, or making sure your verse rhyme pattern is different from your chorus rhyme pattern.

As a general rule, rhyme pattern changes for each of your song elements is a simple contrast tool you should employ as standard practice. It’s simple and always works if you’re not in a VERSE / VERSE / VERSE song structure.

It’s also important to note that a VERSE should always close down in terms of its idea or the idea it presented to tie to the central idea.

If it runs into the chorus, it should be a very direct lead into the chorus with a very definitive – of course that goes right into there!

A VERSE should be a defined moment, thought or idea that ties directly to your central idea (song idea). It is not the repository for your central idea – that’s the CHORUS.